Russian Submarine Stalks A U.K. Aircraft Carrier In The Mediterranean

A Merlin Mk2 helicopter, pictured, was scrambled to search for the Russian submarine  

The Telegraph: Hunter becomes hunted as Royal Navy helicopters hound Russian submarines 

British aircraft drop specialist sonobuoys to search for vessels in the eastern Mediterranean that had been stalking Carrier Strike Group 

A Russian submarine stalked the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG) prompting a helicopter hunt for the vessel, The Telegraph can reveal. 

Merlin helicopters were scrambled to search for the Russian submarine when the group was passing through the eastern Mediterranean.

The two aircraft dropped sonobuoys - equipment designed to sink beneath the water to find submarines - to listen for its distinctive sounds after it was suspected to be monitoring HMS Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s new aircraft carrier, and escort ships. 

The hunt for the submarine took place four days after the confrontation in the Black Sea between HMS Defender, a Type-45 air defence ship, and Russian forces. 

Russian submarines are known to be active in the eastern Mediterranean from the Tartus naval base on the Syrian coast. 

Their primary mission is to lurk just off the coast of Cyprus, monitoring RAF aircraft launching from RAF Akrotiri to strike Daesh targets in Syria.

It is not known if the Russian boat - understood to be a diesel-electric Kilo-Class submarine from the Black Sea fleet - was caught unawares as it monitored British air operations, or if it was diverted specifically to spy on HMS Queen Elizabeth. 

Two Merlin Mk2 submarine-hunting aircraft were launched, one from HMS Queen Elizabeth, the other from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Fort Victoria, a replenishment tanker. 

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Update: UK Scrambled Sub-Hunting Aircraft As Russian Submarine 'Stalked' Carrier In Mediterranean (Zero Hedge)  

WNU Editor: The Russians made no secret that they were going to keep an eye on the U.K. fleet .... Russia deploys air and naval assets to shadow HMS Queen Elizabeth Carrier Strike Group (Janes).